Being A Flexible Math Teacher

Problem Solving
As students, if we pay attention during math class we usually learn one method for solving equations/questions and practice using this method to complete our work. So often it is expected by the teacher to use said method and that other techniques are frowned upon. This was my experience in math class growing up, but I don't necessarily believe that it's the best way to teach math to an entire class of students. For a lot of math, there are multiple ways of solving the same problem. So the question is, should teachers allow students to explore different methods for completing math homework? My answer to that is, why not! 

Everyone's brain functions differently, so it makes sense to use different ways of displaying the answers. It can be extremely helpful to students if they are given the opportunity to use drawings, manipulatives, or even work in groups to solve math problems. The key point I'm trying to make is that it's far better for students to understand their work versus simply memorizing formulas. 

Retrieved from https://luminouslearning.com/

As math teachers, we must get to know our students to figure out which ways they learn best. It's also important to be flexible with the strategies used to solve math problems, and perhaps teach more than one way of answering questions. Focus more on "ways to get there" opposed to "getting the right answer".
I know what you're thinking. This strategy makes it much more difficult to mark, not to mention time consuming. When we think about marking, it can be a tedious task, but we also have to consider what's best for our students and what can be done to promote deeper learning. It's considerably more satisfying as a teacher to see your students understand and do well in class, opposed to having to redo assignments because so many of them didn't get it. 

The website youcubed has a lot of resources for creative, visual, and mathematical freedom for students and teachers. 




Influencing Your Students
Parents, teachers and authority figures are highly influential when it comes to their students. This is why it is extremely important to be mindful of the atmosphere we create in the classroom. As teachers, we should be positive and encouraging to help promote a growth mindset among students. The following video goes into a lot of detail about teaching a growth mindset to our students. This concept not only applies to learning math, but is important with all subject areas.

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isHM1rEd3GE

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My goal is to encourage teachers, including myself, to maintain a positive learning environment in schools that helps develop growth mindsets in students. Kids will achieve great things in and outside of school, but only if they believe they can. Let's set them up for success by first helping them gain the confidence they need to learn and grow.